It is obvious that the world has changed. The first pandemic in ‘modern times’ is ravaging our basic presumption of how secure life is. I will not go into all the details but instead look at one area – our false belief in the healthcare system. Until now most people in the western developed world presumed – me included – that there is a hospital bed and proper care ‘if I get sick’. Now we know that this is true only in normal times. In a pandemic like this – no-one can be sure to get best possible or even reasonable care.
It is really scary that right now it feels much safer to stay at home if I get sick – instead of visiting a doctor or hospital. It is very unlikely that our society can bear the cost of keeping sufficient reserves for all pandemic alternatives. We cannot – on national levels – hold sufficient stocks of all medical equipment ready for all alternative viruses which can target any vital bodily function. The conclusion is therefore that we all – who have the resources – will need to do more to secure ‘at-home’ healthcare for our families and ourselves during a crisis.
We need to be better at taking care of ourselves in our own homes. We need better equipment to monitor our health at home. We need to hold sufficient stocks of medication at home. We need to have sufficient personal safety equipment at home. We need to educate ourselves. We need to be better at taking care of our immune systems.
We cannot rely on the state or the society in general to look after our healthcare during the next ‘big’ one. The safest place is ‘at-home’. The doctor or hospital is the last resort during a pandemic. Politicians and healthcare insurance sellers will claim otherwise – but we have learned our lesson. Our sense of healthcare ‘security’ was false. Now we need to take more responsibility of our own- and our families health. We need to be better prepared – at home.